Monster
by Fluffy Nouget
Summary: Chara wasn't one to take things lying down, especially from the man who's supposed to be her partner. He may be the unofficial leader of their little group, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to be one his subjects. Some things have to give. AmonxOC
1. Teeth

**_Hello WHR fandom! This is my first time posting here and I honestly hope it's not too terribly awesome. This fic stems from the curiosity of 'what would happen if I did a WHR fic based off Lady Gaga?'. Both random and crazy; I know. _**

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_It's not based completely off her songs, just the feelings they gave me while writing, so the lyrics at the beginning of each chapter are just lil' insights as to what I was thinking kinda...sorta. Wow...that's really hard to explain! Anyways, enjoy and review! I'm nervous to see how this turns out! _

* * *

_Tell me something that'll save me _

_I need a man who makes me alright_

_(Man who makes me alright)_

_(Just tell me that it's alright)_

_Tell me something that'll change me_

_I'm gonna love you with my hands tied _

_Show me your teeth_

**_.:o0o:._**

Twenty minutes ago she was supposed to meet with the head hunter of the STN-J.

She sighed in annoyance as the clock continued to tick off the passing minutes.

Make that twenty five.

Finally admitting defeat she gathered her purse and jacket from the chair next to her and flopped the money for her drink down onto the table. With one last scan of the dimly lit bar she found no one that appeared to be a 'co-worker'. Shaking her head she started for the door, her hand flicking the business card carelessly into the trash on her way out.

She knew where she was going.

* * *

Ravens Flat wasn't an impressive building; she had seen better in her various traveling.

Letting herself in through the front gate she entered what appeared to be a parking garage minus the cars. Looking around she frowned until spotting a man sitting behind a counter, his head bent as though reading. Approaching, she cleared her throat politely, a dazzling smile lighting up her features. The man looked up and smiled in return as he tossed his magazine to the side.

"Sorry to bother you, but I'm here looking for someone."

"No problem at all, miss! Who is it you're looking for?"

"I believe his name is Mr. Amon. He was supposed to meet with me an hour ago, but never showed up."

"Terribly sorry about that; he's been gone for a good two hours or so."

"Really, now?" She asked, briefly wondering if the man had even remembered he was supposed to meet her. "Is there a Takuma Zaizen here, then? Would it be possible to see him?"

"Oh, you want to see the big man! Straight to the top!" She laughed along politely with the man as he seemingly rearranged something on the counter and picked up the phone.

"Lemme call up there and see if he's in; it'll only take a moment."

"Wonderful; thank you very much!" She smiled, cocking her head to the side as she watched him dial and turn away to speak as someone answered.

All this smiling was starting to kill her.

For the next few minutes or so the man argued slightly with whoever was on the other end. She waited patiently and idly brushed at some dirt on the counter top as his voice rose slightly.

"Excuse me, miss," he said turning around suddenly to address her, "but may I have your name?"

"Chara Li." She stated, her smile faltering as the man once again turned away to argue. She sighed in annoyance and was about to say something when he turned back around, hanging up the phone as he did so.

"The boss is in and would actually like to see you too."

"Great!" She exclaimed through clenched teeth, wishing he'd just spit out the information she needed so she could leave.

"What you're going to do is go through those doors right there and that'll bring you to the lobby. Take the elevator up to the fourth floor and just go straight down the hall. The chief inspector will take you the rest of the way."

"Excellent; thanks again for all your help!" She said, already inching towards the door as the man rubbed his head as though embarrassed.

"Don't mention it!" He laughed while waving her off. "Hopefully I'll be seeing you around!"

"Yeah, hopefully!" She smiled back with a small waggle of her fingers as she slipped through the front doors, praying that her annoyance didn't show on her face.

It had been a while since she'd conversed with someone so happy; it was practically foreign.

* * *

"So is there a reason I was stood up or do all new hunters get this special treatment?" She asked with an incline to her head, a smirk playing across her features as the man in front of her gave a light chuckle.

"I'm very sorry for this, but it seems there's been a sudden increase in activity and things were reorganized according to level of urgency."

"Understandable." She agreed lightly, still watching her new boss intently as he stared calmly back.

"It also seems that some of your paperwork went amiss in the transfer process so I'm afraid we'll need to postpone you're involvement until it all comes through."

"Go figure; never rely on upper management to get the job done." She sighed before finally tearing her gaze away as she reached for her bag on the floor beside her chair. "I took the liberty of getting copies so in case something like this happened." She explained as she stood and crossed over to the desk, the thick folder extended outwards.

Zaizen quirked a brow as he reached for it.

"I take it this has happened before?"

"Numerously." She said dryly, causing the man to give another light chuckle at this as he gingerly sat the folder down before him and patted it lightly.

"I'll review this tonight and tomorrow morning we'll get you processed in. Before that, though, I feel that there are a few key differences you should be aware of."

"Of course." She smiled, inclining her head once again to the side, causing her bobbed platinum locks to sway slightly with the movement.

"First of all we only allow each hunter one Orbo gun; we find that singular use cuts back on the overall amount of Orbo used and or lost in the field."

"That's…manageable, I guess." She frowned, clearly put off that she'd no longer be wielding dual weapons.

"Secondly, we work as a team and often in pairs. We're a small group as it is and casualties are unacceptable." Her frown deepened as the man continued to go on about the new rules and regulations. Did they want her to hand over a heart and lung too?

"Lastly, our objective is to hunt and capture witches and then convey them on to the factory where they are no longer our concern. From what little I have heard about you I know this may be difficult to adjust too, but I believe you'll be able to handle it."

"I have prepared myself for this," she admitted while still making a face at the previous bits of news, "but would like to know why you differ from so many other branches. What makes Japan so special that the witches here are to be saved?"

"Valid point," Zaizen acknowledged her with a nod, "but I cannot tell you why. Even I'm on a strict flow of information that is only one way. We're told what we need to around here and questioning the system gets us nowhere."

"I know that feeling." She admitted with a small smile as Zaizen once again gave a light chuckle.

"Now that you've been informed of the basics I see no reason to keep you any longer; enjoy your day off, Miss Li." Chara smiled and gathered her coat and bag before stepping forward to shake her new superior's hand.

His grip was vice-like and had her wondering if he knew he was practically strangling her hand.

She knew he was snake just by looking at him.

* * *

_Harry's_ was as dead as it had been earlier when she had sat there waiting for her new 'partner' to show up.

She wasn't surprised that the barman had recognized her.

"Well hello again." He smiled as she slid deftly into a bar seat, her coat draped gingerly across the back and her bag perched on the empty chair next to her.

"Another coffee or perhaps a change of pace?" She smiled and shook her head.

"Coffee would be wonderful." He smiled back simply and disappeared into the kitchen by means of an almost non-existent looking door. If it hadn't been for the obvious change of wood grain, the door would have melted seamlessly into the wall.

Looking around the bar area with curiosity she tensed slightly as padded footsteps sounded behind her.

Old habits died hard.

Blatantly ignoring the sound of a chair scraping across the floor a few places down from her, the young woman continued to look around in veiled curiosity; her eyes lighting up slightly as she took in the wonderful display of various vodka bottles lining the wall across from her.

She would definitely be changing paces in the future.

Snapping out of her booze filled daydream, she watched as the seemingly hidden door opened and the barman emerged with her coffee. "Here you are, Miss. Still no cream or sugar?" He assumed as he sat it down gently in front of her. "No thanks." She smiled, her fingers already lacing through the porcelain handle.

"And Mr. Amon, what a surprise; I usually don't expect you until quite later." The woman's fingers stilled at this as her eyes darted sideways to check her peripherals.

All she could see was black.

"Routines change." The man said simply, causing the barman to laugh lightly.

"Busy day, I presume?"

"You could say that."

"I'll take it you'll have your usual then." The man must have nodded because the barman turned with ease towards the wall of alcohol and plucked at a bottle.

Removing her fingers from the mug Chara leaned back and straightened to her full height, angling her body so as to fully face the mysterious man in black. He had the typical characteristics of someone who worked for the STN: the broody demeanor, the wardrobe devoid of any true color, the slouchy body language of someone trying not to be too obvious.

She herself was guilty of all three and much more.

"Can I help you?" If his raspy voice startled her, she didn't let it show.

"Actually you can," At this he straightened up slightly so as to get a better look at her, "I couldn't help but overhear that _you're_ Mr. Amon." He frowned at her this time, his grip tightening slightly around his glass.

"Your point?" He asked, voice deep and devoid of any real emotion.

"No reason," She smirked nonchalantly while pretending to examine her fingernails, "I was just wandering what my new partner was like, is all." Looking up she found her gaze colliding with one of pure onyx; it was slightly breathtaking.

"_You're_ the new hunter?" He asked, voice still as robotic as before.

"Chara Li, pleasure to meet you." Still wearing a smirk she stuck out a hand for a friendly shake and watched in amusement as the man looked between her and her hand as though he couldn't quite grasp the concept of the gesture. After a long pause he turned his attention back to his drink, downing half of it in one swallow.

"Fine then, don't shake my hand; I can read you without even a pinprick of contact." She shrugged as she turned back to her coffee and followed in suit, downing half of it in one easy swallow. Licking her lips she glanced over to find him looking at her, his brows drawn slightly as though trying to figure her out.

"You're a craft user." He stated, causing her to smirk slightly.

"Of course: the head hunter has access to all personnel files; I'm not surprised." She said, finishing up with another drag of coffee, her eyes skimming back over the neatly lined bottles of vodka along the wall.

Talk about temptation.

"I may have skimmed over a few things. Why so many transfers?" My, oh, my! Was the man actually striking up a conversation?

"A lot of reasons," she frowned, "all usually the same, though."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you're going to be doing a lot more 'skimming' tonight if you don't know the answer to that." Pushing her mug towards the back edge of the counter she reached into her coat pocket and flopped her payment onto the counter. Looking up she found him eyeing her with a look of pure distaste, as if the frown on his face wasn't enough of a hint.

"Oh come on now, I'm being serious! My file wasn't fully transferred, so there's a lot more to it than that piddly thing you went through. Don't be so touchy." She smirked as she slid from her seat and proceeded to shrug on her coat.

His frown only deepened.

"Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning, then?" She asked, quirking a brow as she strung her purse up to her shoulder and slowly approached her newly found co-worker. He remained silent and continued to sip at his drink, now blatantly ignoring her.

Two could play that game.

Leaning against the back of the chair next to him she leaned in closer, her head only hovering slightly above his hunched shoulder.

"Word of advice: don't stand me up again. I've been through too many meet 'n greets to know when I'm being played a fool and when someone genuinely forgets. I'm not some newbie you can just shove around on a whim, so remember that the next time you and I are supposed to meet somewhere." With a small pat to his arm she stalked off, a dangerous smirk playing across her features as she heard him ask for a shot of liquor.

Silly man; he should know that stuff only gets you drunk quicker, but then again maybe that was the point.

* * *

**_So...? How was is it? I'm not entirely sure how well people respond to OC's, but oh well; there's an experience in everything, right? Reviews and comments would be awesome and greatly appreciated! _**


	2. Bad Romance

_**So here's Chapter 2, something I honestly thought I'd never get to post because I wasn't sure if there'd be any demand for it. And like the previous, it's once again Lady Gaga inspired (which yes, I know is weird), but this time to Bad Romance. The lyrics don't really have much to do with the story itself, but rather the overall theme and feeling of the song. What can I say, the woman's inspiring!**_

_***I'd also like to give a special thanks **__**to **_**ImmortalDatenshi **_**for her kind words and review; you're my only one so far and are seriously floating my boat! This one's for you! :D**_

_**Thanks again and I hope you enjoy and leave a review/comment!**_

* * *

_I want your love, and I want your revenge_

_You and me could write a bad romance_

_I want your love, and all your love is revenge_

_You and me could write a bad romance_

_Caught in a bad romance_

* * *

If anyone else had been there earlier than him he wouldn't have minded, but seeing as it was _her_, he found it annoying.

Depressing, even.

Exiting the elevator he found Michael and Chara engaged in an animated conversation about only god-knows-what. The former was seated at the computer, his gaze darting back and forth between the young woman and the screen, his mouth moving a mile a minute. The latter was perched on the desk, legs crossed in a dainty manner and her face lit up with a smile.

He contemplated stepping back into the elevator.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Amon!" He internally cringed as he heard his name trilled across the room and looked over to find the new recruit waving at him with a wiggle of her fingers.

Michael looked torn between hiding under the desk in fear and gaping in shock at the lively greeting.

He didn't blame him; he wanted to run and hide too.

Amon didn't say a word as he crossed over to the computer area, disposing of his coat on a wall peg along the way and pouring himself a cup of coffee from the small stand by the conference room. He was consciously aware of an even glare fixed on his every movement and wasn't surprised when he turned to find a vibrant green gaze clashing with his own.

It vaguely reminded him of honey dew, a fruit he had hated as kid because of its sticky sweetness and how the rind was hard to cut through. Shaking his head as though he couldn't believe he had just remembered that, he approached the hacker and immediately went into the day's work.

"Have you got those files I requested last night?"

"Yes sir, just sent them to the conference computer to share with the others."

He could feel her gaze on him again.

"And did you check the video surveillance of the store where the target was last spotted?"

"Yup, got that late last night after finally breaking into the police files where they were trying to keep it."

It was starting to get unnerving.

"Good."

"I also went ahead and checked out the rest of the family tree to see if there'll be any repeat happenings and foun…" Looking away from the hacker who was typing furiously away at the computer he confronted the green-hued gaze once again. She stared unwaveringly back, almost to a point where he had to will himself not to look away.

She was really starting to piss him off.

"Will I be going out with you today?" She eventually asked, her voice quiet but still loud enough to be heard over the background buzz of Michael's continuous talking.

He smirked as he finally tore his gaze away and looked back to Michael, holding up a hand to stop him in his tangent.

"Robin's supposed to be downstairs waiting for me; we'll go and check out the rest of the family so send me the list of names. Tell Karasuma and Sakaki to follow the lead we found the other day for the alleyway death."

"Already on it."

"Tell them to report back on what they find out, also." He finished up as he turned to leave, tossing the cheap paper cup into the trashcan on the way out.

"What about me?" He was only halfway to his coat when he stopped and turned to look over his shoulder at the voice.

Chara Li had slid from her perch on the desk and now stood facing him, hands fisted and on her hips. A scowl was dragging down her otherwise elegant features as her platinum blonde shag shined in the overhead lighting, a startling contrast to her to wardrobe: a black fitted blazer; the neckline dipping dangerously low, the figure hugging black jeans and the precariously tall black heels that only emphasized the contours of her slender legs.

He smirked as his silence obviously ate away at her and caused the scowl and glare to deepen.

"Have Miss Li here spend the day with Karasuma; make sure she gets up to date on how we run around here. We can't afford for mistakes." And with that he turned, collected his coat, and stepped into the elevator, his smirk growing exponentially wider as the door slid shut, cutting off what he supposed was going to be an excellent display of fireworks.

* * *

He was mildly surprised to find Chara at work before him, once again, the next morning after learning from the man downstairs that the 'lovely new girl' had already been by already.

He braced himself as he stepped off the elevator.

The only difference today was that instead of two, he was met with three. Karasuma and Sakaki were huddled around Michael, talking to him in hushed tones as his fingers worked overtime on the keyboard.

They must have found a lead yesterday.

Approaching the group he became openly confused as they threw around words like 'amazing' and 'awesome' and 'unbelievable'. Was yesterday really that good?

Looking up and over their heads he found no trace of the woman he had blown off the day before, not even a sign of another person in the room, actually. Returning his focus to the group in front of him he found them eyeing him with a look that could only be described as one of a small child being caught stealing a cookie.

"Excited, are we?" He asked, quirking a brow as they all exchanged looks amongst themselves.

"You could say that…" Sakaki started, looking over his shoulder at the conference room before ducking even lower into his chair. "The new girl is pretty hardcore; she practically ripped the cop a new one yesterday when he tried to bar us from the scene."

"Not only that, but her craft is incredible," Karasuma interjected with a shake of her head, "she's able to read others, but it's a form I've not seen. Her kind is different."

"And I looked her up last night, too," Michael whispered, leaning closer towards Amon, "we found out she's more than qualified to just being a hunter; she could be working directly in the factory right now."

Amon frowned at the childishness of his colleagues; they were so easily impressed.

"And did you manage to get any real work done between all this idolizing?" He snapped, watching their faces fall like that of a kicked puppy. "I suggest you try to find something useful to do today rather than sit around and marvel at our latest edition." Michael tried to hide his raised eyebrows by leaning down further towards his screen while Sakaki averted his gaze to his lap and Karasuma fixed him with a slight glare.

"What's eating at you?" She had the nerve to ask with an eyebrow in the air. Out of all them he had to give her credit; he normally wouldn't take well to being questioned by others, but seeing as they had been working together the longest, some things had to give.

"I need to speak with you." He grunted, nodding towards the conference for her to follow him. She sighed and pushed away from the desk, her heels clicking behind him as he approached the doorway only to stop, a frown working its way across his face.

There, sitting at the computer and slouched all over the table, was Chara. She looked much like she did yesterday, with the exception of her hair having been forced back into a small ponytail and a pair of knee high boots rather than heels.

Karasuma cleared her throat behind him.

"Not here." He mumbled, turning away from the room before he could be spotted by the other woman. His colleague patiently followed him as he stepped onto the elevator and pressed the ground level button.

"Mind letting me in on the secret?" She asked, her voice neutral as she fixed him with a look that clearly wanted answers.

"How did she perform yesterday?"

"You mean Chara?" She was answered with silence. "She did alright, I guess. Was there something I was supposed to be looking for?"

"No, I was just merely curious."

"About what?" She sighed, leaning back against the wall, "She's a twenty two, Australian, no remaining family. Not exactly the terrorist type."

"Maybe," He grunted, earning an incredulous look from his co-worker, "but you said her craft was different. How so?"

"I don't know…it just is. We talked a lot about it, seeing as I can pick up emotions and feelings. Chara…well…she can pick up more; deeper things, really. Thoughts and images."

"Thoughts and images?" He parroted back.

"The way she explained it was that it usually has to be an object that has meaning, like a wallet or watch or some kind of bauble; personal things people rely heavily on."

"What was it yesterday?" He asked, picking up that this ability had already been demonstrated.

"It was poker chip in the victim's pocket. No wallet or I.D. or anything else."

"And she got information from this?"

"Yes. She picked up it, ran her hands over it a few times then pulled out this notebook and began writing. She pretty much filled up two whole sheets of just nothing but words and random drawings. After she was done she put the chip down and went through the list of words and crossed out everything that didn't matter. That's how we got names to follow and places to investigate." Looking up Amon found Karasuma shaking her head, her eyes wide and a small smile on her face.

"It was pretty incredible."

"Is there any reason to suspect this craft could become dangerous?" Karasuma frowned at this and fixed him with a look.

"I think you already know the answer to that, Amon." She said quietly as she continued to look at him. "There are others here who have a craft that should have you worrying more." She was talking about Robin and her increasing power of pyrokinesis.

"I think," Karasuma said after a long pause, "that our new hunter has either rubbed you the wrong way or that you've found something to dislike in her so you question her abilities and presence. Am I right?" She asked with a quirked brow as the elevator jerked to a stop and the door rattled open to reveal the parking garage.

"Take her with you again and see what all you find. Report back to Michael if anything changes." He said pushing past her and out into the chilly autumn air.

"You never answered my question!" Karasuma called out behind him, a knowing tone in her voice that made him cringe.

The woman was too intuitive for her own good.

* * *

For the three weeks that followed the arrival of the newest member of the team, Amon gained a sick sense of joy from pawning his new 'partner' onto the others.

He never knew he could feel this way.

Ever since their chance meeting at _Harry's_ and Chara's rather rude warning to him, the man had practically made it his mission to piss the woman off. Never before had he encountered someone who stood so obviously against him, let alone someone who had the balls to back talk him. It was because of this that he disliked the woman and this alone despite what Karasuma had continued to hint at since their rather shady conversation in the elevator.

_That he liked Chara. _

Even now he grimaced at the thought as he ran his foot across the gas pedal in an eagerness to get going. What was taking Robin so long? He had explicitly told her to be ready at eight, yet here it was, eight twenty and the girl hadn't appeared.

He was a stickler for being on time.

Pulling her number up on his phone he was about to call when the door to her building opened and she emerged, a laughing Touko following in suit. The older woman gave the teen a pat on the back before walking around the front of the car and tapping on his window, clearly wanting him to put it down.

"Sorry she's late, there was a bit of an accident in the kitchen that took two to clean up." He frowned and eyed her with a look that clearly said 'I don't care why, just move'. Touko simply smiled and shook her head before stepping away and walking back around the car, waving to them as they pulled off.

He knew it was wrong to treat her that way, especially since they were in relationship (as forced and strained as it was) but he knew she would understand that he was the way he was. He had always been one for punctuality and pose, never letting too much information out along with any emotions or unwanted feelings. He was a private person and liked his space, especially since _someone_ at the office had decided to make it their goal to get under his skin anyway they could.

He had to give Chara credit: it only took her two days before realizing that he was purposefully shoving her off onto Karasuma when it came to partnering up. Since then she had made it obvious that she wasn't happy, often calling him out to ask for his opinion or thoughts when it was most inconvenient, a mocking tone in her voice.

She knew he'd say something just to spite her, but then she'd bite right back after whatever it was that he said.

The woman was like a dog.

She'd go out of her way to invade his personal space by constantly 'bumping' into him or sharing the elevator on the way down to the garage. She'd make snide remarks about his appearance, often claiming him to be like a large bat because of his broody looks and 'gothic' wardrobe. He'd often overhear her talking about him to the others, saying things that'd make them laugh or snicker until a cutting look from him practically stopped them dead.

The woman was intolerable.

"Amon?" It took him a few seconds to register where the voice had come from. Looking to his left he saw Robin, her emerald gaze looking at him with concern.

"What?" He grunted as he turned back to face the road before they crashed.

"Are you alright?" She asked, clearly concerned about him though he could hardly figure why.

"I'm fine."

"But you're gripping the wheel so hard." She stated, causing him to look down at his white knuckled death grip around the wheel. Sighing slightly, he forced himself to loosen his grip and shifted his jaw, and old habit from his younger days.

"I'm fine." He repeated, idly aware that the young witch beside him was still observing him.

"Where are we going today?" He wasn't sure if she had switched topics on purpose or had simply picked up on his negative manner, but he was grateful nonetheless.

"There was another death a few alleyways down from the one a few weeks ago. It happened this morning so it's fresh and the police have already handed the case over to us."

"So the body is still there?"

"Is that a problem?" He had never known her to be squeamish over corpses, not since the bug incident anyways.

"No, I was just curious." She was odd, he had to admit, but she knew when to speak and when to be quiet with him; knew how to act around him, really.

He knew of someone who could benefit by taking notes.

* * *

Was he avoiding her?

No.

Was he simply getting the information he seeked another way?

Yes.

"Chara?" He peeked up from the file he was reading and watched as Robin approached the woman clear on the opposite side of the room from him.

"Yes?" She practically purred as she looked up from whatever it was she was doing.

"Amon and I found this at the crime scene this morning. We were wondering if you could read it." Chara quirked an eyebrow as Robin presented her with sealed zip lock baggie, the set of dice inside hitting one another softly. Looking over her shoulder at him she frowned.

"Not big boy enough to ask me yourself?" She asked with a smirk as his grip on the papers in his hand tightened to a point that the pages actually crinkled.

He glared daggers at her.

"Give 'em here, darling, I'll have something in a minute." She said holding out her hand for Robin to dump the dice into. For a few seconds the woman did nothing but just sit there and mindlessly roll the little red cubes around in her fingers. Time seemed to stop as her fingers froze and the dice came to a halt. Had he not been watching he would have missed the slight jolt her body gave before she practically fell forwards and scrabbled to grab a pen and paper, her hand working furiously across the surface. Briefly looking up to glance at Robin's expression he found her looking slightly surprised and amazed at what she was seeing. Frowning even more he dropped the file in his hand carelessly down onto the desk and made his way over to the two.

He had to admit it was quite a sight.

If Michael's hands were amazing then Chara's right hand was just simply incredible. Never had he seen someone write out so many words so quickly, let alone draw pictures that could resemble anything in real life. Half of the page was filled with words all crammed together in one never ending sentence until the letters got gradually smaller and smaller until they were just dots. After this the pictures began; pictures of blurred faces and street signs and places he had never been. The one that caught his eye the most was of an apartment building roughly six stories high and halfway falling down.

He had seen it somewhere before.

Seconds later Chara stopped; the action so abrupt it was as though someone had cut the power to a lamp. He watched as she slowly put down the pencil and pushed the paper away from her, her hand shaking noticeably as she took a few deep breaths before pushing herself up and out of the chair and holding onto the desk for support.

"There ya go, mate. Have fun." With a small toss the dice tumbled across the desk and seemed to take an eternity to land. By the time they came to rest he had already looked over his shoulder to find her gone.

* * *

**_Alrighty then! Ch. 2 down and...I dunno...more to come? Let me know what you think and I guess we'll see how it goes! REVIEWS AND COMMENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. :)_**


	3. Paparazzi

_**So this one is much shorter, but don't worry, the next one's longer with a lot more interaction! For now we find our new hunter holding her own not only against her bat-like 'partner' but other witches too. Enjoy!**_

* * *

_I'm your biggest fan_

_I'll follow you until you love me_

_Papa-paparazzi_

_Baby, there's no other superstar_

_You know that I'll be_

_Papa-paparazzi_

* * *

A nice long month and half had fully passed since she first arrived in Japan.

Life at Raven's Flat had returned to normal…well, what she assumed was normal anyways.

It was safe to say that before she came there was a rock solid routine that everyone held in high regard. Amon was _always_ the first to be there in the morning (besides Michael, but seeing as he was permanently stuck there, he didn't count) then followed by Karasuma and then Sakaki and then Doujima, who would appear every so often on a whim. Chara was still having trouble placing Robin; the girl seemed to only appear when something was needed of her, which was sometimes very frequent and sometimes not.

The little fire starter was so young, too, Chara had noted when first meeting the other witch. What would possess the STN to allow someone Robin's age to perform their deeds? Granted she was a very powerful craft user, but still; she was only sixteen.

She couldn't believe it.

And then there was Amon…Amon, Amon, _Amon_.

Tall, dark, and broody.

The man was as infuriating as he was attractive, a characteristic Chara had been quick to pick up on during their brief yet frequent interactions.

It was always the good looking ones who had shit for brains, too.

"You alright over there?" Chara glanced over at Karasuma as she drove, wondering if she could read thoughts also.

"I don't read minds if that's what you're thinking." The other woman laughed softly as Chara smiled and shook her head.

"I think that just clarified things."

"Well I had to ask; you did sigh as though something was bothering you." Oh…she had? Whoops.

"Besides this coat, you mean?" Chara asked as she pinched at the cheap STN-J uniform jacket she was required to wear when going out onto the field. They were disgusting, really; made from a cheap leather and not very form flattering or sensible.

Her small frame was practically swimming in it.

"Yes, besides the coat." Karasuma nodded, her eyes never leaving the road.

"I was thinking about Amon," the passenger admitted, earning a quirked brow from the driver, "about how he's such an asshole and practically intolerable." The brunette gave an unexpected burst of laughter at this while shaking her head as she quickly glanced over at the frowning blonde.

"I'm sorry, but it's been a while since I've heard him described quite like that."

"Everyone else scared to?"

"No, we've just all gotten used to it."

"Can't imagine how." Chara grumbled as she leaned her head against the window and glared at the car in front of them.

Amon was leading them to their next hunt, the arrogant bastard; he didn't want them to get lost, yet he sure as hell didn't offer to give them a ride.

_Men._

* * *

The only reason they were where they were was because of her, a fact that wasn't lost on him.

She could tell because every time she talked about what she 'saw' he'd frown and make himself look busy with his phone.

She loved making him feel uncomfortable.

"It's just about a block down that way and then a left." She pointed, looking over to Karasuma to confirm her words even further.

"That's where it should be, unless the city prints that Michael used to compare the address with were outdated."

"I don't think it was because it had the new downtown arts building on it." Chara pointed out as she tapped the end of her nose with her pointer finger; she was in deep thought. Robin stepped up behind her.

"This must be the bad end of town." The younger girl observed quietly, her emerald eyes scanning the rough and tumble neighborhood before them.

"It's the _super_ bad end." Chara pointed out, turning to look at Robin with a smirk on her face. "Want to wait in the car?" For a fleeting second she thought the teen was going to say yes until her so called _partner_ stepped in.

"We're all going." He clarified as he pocketed his phone and looked at each of them. "Karasuma and I will lead while Robin stays in the middle. You," he nodded at Chara, "will cover the back."

"I have a name you know." She glared with arms crossed and her stance strong.

"I know." He said simply before turning to make sure his beloved car was locked despite the fact he had already checked twice without realizing it. She rolled her eyes as he passed her, followed by Karasuma and Robin, then joined the motley crew as they exited the chain linked parking lot.

She kept her eyes alert and her hand close to her thigh holster as they started into the neighborhood, the feeling of poverty and grunge sweeping over them. Dilapidated buildings stood vacant on either side; windows and doors boarded up as eviction notices waved like banners. She had been in bad neighborhoods before and this was no exception; if you've been in one you've been in a thousand.

She came to a stop as the three in front of her did and looked around Robin to find their so called leader holding her drawing up and comparing it to a building before them. She watched as he conversed quietly with Karasuma, not noticing Robin wandering astray until she took a step forward and realized there wasn't a person blocking her way. At this her hand slipped automatically into her holster to retrieve her gun, the action silent and natural.

There was only one place Robin could have gone.

To their left was an open alley entranceway, trash spilling out from the shadows along with broken crates and scampering rats. She took a few hesitant steps forward, her gun held up firmly by her head as she peered into the darkness.

"We have a problem." She stated quietly and immediately heard the other two end their discussion. She felt them join her in the entranceway and heard, rather than see, Amon remove a small flashlight from his pocket. He too took out his gun, along with Karasuma, and clicked on the light, each bracing themselves for what they would see. The alleyway was just as disgusting as its entrance and led the length of the building before turning sharply out of sight. Amon led them forward, followed by Karasuma as Chara once again brought up the rear, glancing behind them to make sure the coast was clear.

The street was eerily quiet.

They trekked the length of the passage, avoiding any and all things that would make noise at the slightest of touches. Occasionally a small creak or snap would sound as they stepped over wadded up newspapers or broken glass, but the silence was still deafening. Upon reaching the corner they found it spilt off to the left and the right, and the three of them paused.

"You two go left."

"I can handle myself." She bristled, not liking how he insisted on treating her like a child.

"Just do it."

"No." She defied him. "I have more experience in places like this, you take Karasuma." He glared at her silently, letting her know there'd be hell to pay when they got back to the office. She brushed him off and pushed past the both of them and turned left, stepping confidently into the shadows.

She bit her lip in concentration as her eyes adjusted to the new level of darkness and kept moving forwards, looking everywhere for any signs of the wayward girl. As quickly as she could manage she pulled a small earpiece from her pocket and used her phone to call headquarters.

Michael picked up instantly.

"I need a GPS fix on Robin, love." She said softly as she stilled at a noise in front of her. She waited and listened to the frantic typing on the other end.

"_She's_ _due east, opposite to where you are. Amon's almost on top of her._" She bit her lip and murmured a 'thanks' before slowly turning around.

There was something making quite a scuffling.

Her finger slipped tighter against the trigger of her gun as she backed up slowly, still staring into the darkness. Whatever it was it was moving closer, the noise becoming more hurried as she continued to retreat. Finally holding the gun out straight she made a grab for her phone and tapped the screen as she raised it, the small glow illuminating enough space for her to briefly see a rage filled face before she was knocked backwards, the phone flying from her grip.

She heard Michael yelling in her ear as a set hands grabbed at her, trying desperately to get at her throat. She fought back and lost her gun in the process, the sound of it scraping the ground a few feet away. For seconds she scrambled with her attacker until the hands latched onto her jacket and lifted her up before throwing her sideways and into a wooden door that gave away upon impact. She could no longer hear Michael as she forced herself to stand, swallowing some blood in the process. She briefly took in the dim candle lit room before being hurtled backwards again, this time recognizing the face as the one she had sketched out. She latched onto him with equal amount of strength and together they pushed, pulled and wrestled until falling through another doorway into a similarly lit room.

The witch managed to get in a few good punches before Chara quickly turned the tables and had him screaming as she bent back limbs in directions that weren't made for them. They stumbled into another room, this one smaller with a flight of stairs, oddly looking like some entranceway. She glanced around before he managed to grab at her hair and found the front door behind her, the light from the dingy streetlamps slotted across their fight. With a heave of strength and a hiss of pain she ripped the man's hand from her hair and roughly shoved him against the boarded up door before giving him a final kick that sent him through to the other side. She followed after, picking her way angrily through the debris and practically flew down the front stoop, grabbing her assailant by the collar and jerking his face closer for a second round, deaf to the sound of feet pounding against asphalt.

It was Karasuma who had tried to restrain her first, but after the other woman found herself to be useless, it was Amon that grabbed her upper arm and pulled her off, steadying her as she wobbled on uneven footing. The witch lay broken and beaten before them, the shallow moving of his chest the only sign he was moving.

She had been ordered not to kill.

Spitting out some blood and wiping at her forehead she jerked her arm from Amon's grip and removed herself from the group before she did anything she'd regret.

The street lit up red as the Factory pulled in.

* * *

_**Once again; I know it's short, but Paparazzi was kind of hard to place, but I think it turned out alright. REVIEW/COMMENT? PWEASE?**_


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